Pliers



Jan. 12, 1937. R MYERS 2,067,578

PLIERS Filed Sept. 8, 1936 INVENTOR. am I BY ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 12, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PLIERS ApplicationSeptember 8, 1936, Serial No. 99,739

2 Claims.

This invention relates to pliers or tools which may be used by jewelersor the like, its principal object being to provide a plier for use inopening up the short links of the chains of bracelets, such'as are nowmuch in vogue, such chains including main ornamental links which areconnected together by means of shorter links, each of which is in thenature of a small closed loop of metal made from short strips, the endsof which are usually bent around in abutting relation. It is frequentlynecessary for a workman to repair such bracelet chains or the like or toeither lengthen or shorten the chain, in which cases the workman bymeans of the improved plier may sufiiciently open up one of the shortlinks, of which the joint is at one side, with ease and effectivenesswith a view to disconnecting the adjacent main links which are connectedby such opened up link and then proceed to do what is necessary to thechain or bracelet.

With these ends in view the invention provides a tool or plier whichincludes connected, opposed, movable jaws having terminals which aretransversely of wedge shape at opposing points, the sides of the wedgeshaped portions diverging from the adjacent opposing edges of theterminals, and such features are desirably embodied in a plier with apair of pivotally connected jaws.

These being among the objects and features of the present invention, thesame consists of certain details of construction to be hereinafterdescribed and then claimed with reference to the accompanying drawingillustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein Fig. lis a side View of the improved plier slightly enlarged and with the jawssomewhat opened;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of the jaws broken away from the handlesof the plier, the jaws being shown as closed;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, the jaws beingclosed and viewed in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. 4 is a view of one of the jaws broken away and viewed towards itsinner edge;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the jaws broken away;

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation on line 6-6, Fig. 7, showing the pliersentering a link which is to be opened up for removal; and

Fig. 7 is a side elevation on line 'l'l, Fig. 6, showing the jaws of theplier engaged with the slitted ends of a link to open up the same.

The invention is preferably embodied in a plier such as shown in Fig. l,the same including a pair of handles Ill, II and a pair of jaws l2, l3

which are carried respectively by the handles H,

it and connected together by a pivot I l. The jaws l2, iii of the plieroppose each other and the details of the features embodied in theinvention are illustrated on an enlarged scale in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5.It is preferable that the plier include only two operating membersconnected together by a single pivot, such members being formed of hardmetal, preferably steel. The plier is preferably of such size and shapethat it may be conveniently grasped in one hand of a workman, which maybe either his right or his left hand, as the improved features thereofare duplicated in the jaws I2, I 3.

Referring to Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive each jaw l2, I3 is provided with aterminal portion 15, which terminal is wedge shaped transversely, sothat the jaws are provided with wedge shaped portions [6 preferablyformed by providing the terminal portions l5 with recesses I! atopposite sides of each terminal portion, the bottoms or closed walls ofthe recesses converging so as to provide each wedge portion IS with moreor less of a knife edge at IS. The edges l8 preferably diverge from thebodies of the jaws I2, l3 at the inner edges of the pair, as shown inFig. 2.

By providing the opposed recesses I6 in each jaw there is formed at theend surfaces of the terminal portions tapering or wedge shaped shouldersI 9, so that the tips of the jaws are similarly tapered in the samedirection as the wedge portions l 6. The shoulders H3 at each side ofeach terminal portion are extended inwardly sufficiently to overhang orextend slightly inwardly of the diverging edges of the wedge shapedportions, thereby providing for each jaw an opposing teat or nose 20.When the jaws are closed together as shown in Fig. 2 it will be seenthat an eye is formed between the terminal portions of the jaws which isof such width at its greater dimension as to take in the cross dimensionof the smallest link of a chain which is to be opened up.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 6 and '7, the operation and use ofthe improved tool or plier will be more readily understood. A chain towhich the invention is adapted for use comprises short links 2!connecting longer links 22, and only a few of these links are shown toenable an understanding of the invention. The links 2| are composed offlexible or bendable metal and connect the longer links, and the ends ofthe strip which forms the short link are butted together to provide aclosed loop. When it is desired to open up a short link, such as 2|, theterminal portions l5 of the plier are opened sufficiently so that thenoses or teats 20 may be engaged in the eye of the loop or link 2|, soas to dispose the edges l8 of the wedge portions H6 in opposed relationat the joint 23 of the link 2|. Then by pressing the jaws firmlytogether the wedge portions I6 will enter the joint 23 and they will actto spread apart the ends of the link at that joint to such extent thatthe link 2! may be disconnected from the adjacent main links 22, forenabling the repair, the lengthening or the shortening of the braceletchain. It will be seen that when the jaws are fully closed together thenoses or teats 20 will be in abutting relation for the smallestcross-dimension of openable link, but that for wider links they willsimply be in opposition, but in either case the Wedge portions willspread the link open. A further opening up of the link may beaccomplished when the tool or plier is pulled out from the link inasmuchas the shoulders 19 have the function of further opening the link if thejaws have not been moved apart any further than is merely necessary tospread the ends of the link apart by the action of the wedge portions.It will be seen that the convergence of the wedge edges [8 tends topress the link towards the shoulders I9 and teats 20.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the invention asshown and described is susceptible to more or less modification withoutdeparting from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new is,

1. A tool of the character described, including 5 a pair of pivotallyconnected jaws having terminals each of which is recessed at oppositesides, at opposing points of the terminals, the bottoms of the recessesdiverging from the adjacent opposing edges of the terminals to providewedgeshaped portions, and the terminals having transverse,correspondingly wedge-shaped, shoulders defined by the recesses andlocated at the tips of the terminals.

2. A tool of the character described, including a pair of pivotallyconnected jaws having terminals each of which is recessed at oppositesides, at opposing points of the terminals, the bottoms of the recessesdiverging from the adjacent opposing edges of the terminals to providewedgeshaped portions, and the terminals having transverse,correspondingly wedge-shaped, shoulders defined by the recesses andlocated at the tips of the terminals, the opposed edges of thewedgeshaped portions diverging toward the shoulders to provide an eyewhen the jaws are fully closed.

ROBERT MYERS.

